Condenser



R. R. HULL 2,614,816

CONDENSER Oct. 21, 1952 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 SHEETS -SHEET l HVVENTUR.

205521 Q. Huu.

Oct. 21, 1952 HULL 2,614,816

CONDENSER Filed Feb. 24, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 rl en or Eosrsm 1?. Hum.49 2/ MM liar-Jags Patented Oct. 21, 1952 T 2,614,816} I I I .coNnENs RV ltoberty In, Hall, as sAngelesp Caliii lassignor, to EngineeringControls; ,Inc., IJos. Angeles,t Calif accrporation.qtfCalifornia I vApplication February-24, 1947; Serial N0?730,392?

Th1suinventionzrelates ito ass-condenser.

liked a I 1 I Atprimarymbject: of the a'inventioniis to provide animproved iheat exchangeror'condenseriwherein theheat? exchanger isdivided :into two sets of I inciineditubesuoneofwhichiis adapted; tohave st'eamisupplied:thereto at its lower end'andiwhich is in:communication: with then other set, at its upper end soithat ;when:steamis supplied to :the

heat cxchangers @such r'adiators; space heatersaand; the,

ioi clai ss (chasm-.469";

modification;

heati -exchangerwinismail quantitiesuorxunder light loads it Ema-ycondense and be- 'deposited; in; the first set Ofl' tubes andfifiOW:therefrom counter; to: the directionioftthe flow of a steam thuseffectively preventing gfre'ezinga of; the condensate in the tubes whenthe wheatiexchanger is subjected toverygcold temperatures: or.tovvertytcold tcooling, air. When the supply of steami isuincreased' or;the load is increasediiso-ithatg more steam is-fisupplied to. the heatexchanger: than; will I condenser in s. the first set of tubes; theexcess: of "steamnwillclpass s friom the' 'upper rendiof -the rfirstsetrinto the: upper-rend of the second :setlwherefurth'ercondensationgwill take place. In this respectithepheatriexchangermayubetregarded:assomewhatautom'atic;in-;that K it iautomaticallyincreases 1 theanumber. of tubes b'eiri'g r'uscd to; condense the steam.in accordance:

with the iamount iof :steam supplied: to theadevioe; Another: obj ect ofthe inventionfis: i to provide a tcondensers on heat:vexchanger-mailing. :the above-:-

. 2f I trated; in section, and illustrating, a, further Figures" 5 and6- are sectional views taken respectively. on -1ines155 andn6--6 ofFigure 4., Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein, similarreference; characters designate similar: parts throughout:theiimprovedl. heat, exchanger or condenser: may be advantageously, usedin conjunction .with the cooling system of an ;internal combustionengine wherein the water ofithewcooling system is maintainedatitsboiling point Such internal. combustion engines, are frequentlylocatedwwhere their radiators oricon densersware subject 1. toatmospheric conditions W611: belowwireezing. Itis desiroustunder suchcircumstancesto.1.1tilize only a 1 small portion: of I the availableheat: exchange area of .the vradi ator when; the engine is-"operatingunder: light loads andise'deliverin fln the icoolingn system but asmall: quantity of: steam but to I utilize more and morevand finally theentire amount of the avail: ab1e-heat;exchange area asthe load increasesand more steam is beingz supplied to the radiator to bewcondensedtherein; In accordance with the presentrinvention the-;condenser1 orradiator con: sists oitwosetsof-tubes which in the form illustrated in ligshli and 2, are indicatedngenerally at I IlJ; 'and;-,I I. Eachof thesesets mayconsistot an Mppenhankof tubes and 'a-lower bank although it:is;-p0,ss,ib1e'- to construct a suitable radiator whereineach:setoftubes consists of but a single bank; of tubes and: in otherinstances, each set may; consist ot more than .two banks of tubes; iIZ-indicatesastanh that'may form a part of or; may;=;be connected tothewater coolingsystem of thegengine;larbeing a filleropening therefor.I -In secondiset is uavoided due tovthe fact that at .the

time that the: second iset :of: tubes :is utili'zed sit-iseilctivemvwarmedi; byr them airwtwhich" has: been warmed'sbyi passing.nioverxtheaifirstxset ofvtubesr :Withthet foregoing and"othercxobjectstinx View; which will bemade; m'anifestz inz the.following detailed descriptionlandrspecificallw pointedpgout ina the;appended xclaims; referencexis' had :ito lithe accompanying: drawings"for an; illustrative; ems bodiment:,; of :tlie invention; I wherein l 1Figure: 1: is iauview iniside elevationysparts being? broken away:andlshown in section; I illustrating a device:embodyingtheipresentiinvention; I

Figs: 2 :is'.;atransirersez-wertical'i sectionithroughtthewdevicershowninFi'g;1;: I

- Fig; 4.;iis razview; inu elevation; in parts being rillusa I bottomofitheattan-k jlnthe water lEVGlgbBihgfifiIldifi 50 cated by. theidotted1ine18fl Therconstruction";of

the: heat-iradiatmgrfins: :thattare; normally; provided ibetweentheptubesa;istimmaterial: imsoifar; aszthe presentainvehtioncisconcerneds. Thetonere atiomo-fs: the raboveadescribedcconstructiomisi asthe tank [2 finds ingress to the steam passage l6 through the aperture20. During light loads of the engine the volume of steam generated isrelatively small. This steam enters the lower ends of the inclined set Il and flows upwardly therein. The direction of air flow between thetubes in this form of construction may beassumed to be upward andthis-direction may be, induced ther-' mally or created by a fanor'blower; When a small amount of steam is supplied to the lower ends ofthe set of tubes l I, this small amount will quickly condense before thesteam progresses any great distance up these tubes. Particularly is tank25, the level of the water being indicated by the dotted line 81.Similarly condensate from i the lower bank isreturned through passage 10this true when the temperature of the cooling air is very low. Thecondensate which cools on the I walls of the tubes of the lower setdrains back in a counterflow direction with respect to the flow of steamand is collected by the partition l4 and returned to the water space ofthe tank 12 through one or more apertures 2|. Under these circumstanceseven if the air passing across'the tubes is very cold and is much belowfreezing, as the'condensate is continually flowing backcounte'rcurrently to the direction of the flow of steam there is nodanger of this condensate freezing in the tubes inasmuch as it flowsback out of the tubes as soon as itis deposited. As the load increasesand'the amount of steam supplied to the tubes increases the steam mayprogress farther and farther up the tubes of the lower set I l with thecondensate continually flowing back down the tubes which are maintainedat a temperature well above freezing by the incoming steam. When theload materially increases, however, the steam will pass through theentire length of the tubes of the lower set I l without becomingcompletely condensed therein." The excess of steam may then flow throughtank [1 to the tubes I0 of the upper bank and becooled'and condensedtherein. The condensate in "these upper tubes will flow downwardlytherein concurrently withthe flow of steam therethrough' and, in manyinstances, in advance of the steam. This condensate is'collected by thepartition I5 and is returned tothe tank [2- through the drain pipe l'B.Although the condensate in the tubes of the upper bank may flow ahead ofthe steam therein, it is to be observed that when these tubes arebrought into operation thetubes of the lower set fll are quite warm.Consequently the cold air flowing across the tubes of the lower set isheated thereby and will serve to warm the tubes of the upper set." Inthis manner the condensate in the tubes of the upper set is kept fromfreezing even though it flows therethrough in advance of 'the steam.

- In internal combustion engines, particularly those which employ vaporphase cooling or that type of cooling wherein the cooling water ismaintained at its boiling point, removal of air and othernon-condensable gases from the system is necessary. To this end a venttube 43 leads into the compartment formed by partition [5 providingan'escapeof such air and non-condensable gases from the system and itwill be appreciated thatby placing the vent tube at the outflow end ofthesecond set of tubes throughwhlch the vapor passes that theventtube'serves to allow air and non-condensable gases to escape fromthe systemwithout any material-escape of vapor.

In the form. of construction illustratedin Fig. 3, there is a tank 25which may be supplied with cooling water from the engine at its boilingpoint. In this tank thereare partitions-26 and 2'! which. define a steampassage 28 leading to the lower end of an mclinedbankof tubes 29. Theupper to the water space of the water tank. In this form of constructionwhen a small amount of steam is being delivered to the device this steam.enters the lower ends of the tubes of bank 29 and flows upwardlytherein until condensed. Under heavy loads where larger amounts of steamare being developed, that steam which does not condense in the upperbank 29 is caused'to flow downwardly through the tubes of the lower bank30. In the upper bank condensate flows downwardly through the tubes in acountercurrent direction with respect to the direction of the steamwhereas 'in the lower bank 30 condensate flows downwardly through thesetubes and may flow in advance of the steam. Where only the tubes of theupper bank are being utilized the counterfiow of condensate throughsteam pre.-

vents the condensate from freezing even though the cooling air may beextremely cold. When the steam supplied to the condenser increases sothat the lower bank 30 is brought into operation, the condensate whichflows downwardly through these tubes in advance of the steam is keptfrom freezing therein due to the fact that the air then passing overthese tubes has been adequately heated 'byithe tubes of the upper bank29. An inlet M'isprovided and leads directly to the tank 25 below theliquid level therein as shown by the dotted lines and an outlet 45leads'directlyfrom tank 25 and communicates with the tankbelow theliquid level therein. 1 A vent tube 3| is preferably connected throughthe partition .2! to the outlet space for the lower set of tubes 30.This vent tube serves to conduct off air and other non-condensable gasesthat maybe introduced into the cooling system. Prefer ably this venttubeis arranged in advanceof the tubes of the upper set soas to be cooledbythe air in advance of its being warmed by the tubes of the upper set.Consequently; as this vent tube tubes 35 which may consist of two banksof tubes that are vertically arranged over the'steam space.

that is immediately above the normal water'level indicated by the dottedline 82. The secondset of tubes indicated at 36 is in communication withthe upper ends of the tubes of thefirstset through a cover 31. The lowerends of the tubes of the second set drain into a tank 38 from which apipe 39 leads back to the water space inthe'water jacket. The vent tubefor non-condensable .gases is indicated at 40 leading .from: the tank"38 upwardly to a point adjacentthe topof'the. conwith said reservoir,walls defining a third chamberenclosing the lower ends of the lowertubes,

said-third chamber being contained .lwithin thei first chamber andhaving vapor inlets in the upper-portions thereof whereby vapor from thereservoir may rise andsfiow into thethird chamber through the lowertubes toheatthe outside of the same and then through the upper tubesandinto the second chamber, an airinlet, an air outlet, said sets oftubes beingin an air. passageway which extends from said air inlet tosaid air outlet with the outside of said upper tubes being in an airstream which inlpassing from said air inletqto said, air outlet flowsfrom the outside of said lower set of tubes to convey heat from theoutside of said lower set to the outside of said uppersetm 6. Acondenser as set out in claim wherein there are means communicating withthe second chamber for allowing air and other non-condensable gases toescape. v Q

'l. A condenser-'lravingtwo sets of tubes at an angle to the horizontal,one set being positioned above the other set, means enclosing the upperends of the tubes to allow the two sets of tubes to communicate with oneanother, means enclosing the lower ends'of the tubes and extending downbelow the lower ends of the lower tubes to provide a liquid reservoir,partition means arranged inside said chamber extending completely acrossthe chamber :and separating the upper set of tubes from-the lower set oftubes and extending downwardly below the liquid level in the reservoir,other partition means forming an upper compartment in thechamber tor theupper set'of tubes and extending down below the liquid level in thereservoir, means providing a passage from theupper part of the chamberinto the upper compartment whereby vapor rising from the reservoir isdirected to flow upwardly into th upper compartment into the upper setof tubes to heat the outside of the same, the liquid condensing; in theupper set of tubes flowing downwardly between the first partition meansand the second partition means to the reservoir, thevapor not condensedin the up er set of tubes allowed to flow through the lower set of tubesand the liquid condensing in the lower set of tubes allowed to outsideof said upperset of tubes to the, outside of saidlowerset of tubes. w

B. A condenser as set out in claim 7 wherein there are communicatingmeans adjacent the lower endsof the lower tubes for allowing air andother non-condensable gases to escape.

9. A condenser having two setsoftubes at an angle to the horizontal,means enclosing the up!- perxends of the tubes for communicating theupper ends of the sets of tubes with one another, means defining achamber enclosing the lower ends of the tubes and extending down belowthe lower ends of the lower tubes providing a liquid reservoir, a liquidand vapor inlet for the condenser leading directly to the liquidreservoir below the liquid level therein, a liquid outlet from thecondenser leading directly from said liquid reservoir below the liquidlevel therein, and meansdirecting 'vaporrising from the reservoir intothe lower ends of one of the setsof tubes to heat the outside of thesame and preventing the vapor from entering the lower ends of the otherset of tubes, an air inlet, an air outlet, said sets of tubes being inan air passageway which extends from said air inlet. to said air outletwith i the outside of the other set of tubes being. in an airstreamwhich in passing from said air inlet to said air outlet flows from theoutside of said one set of tubes to convey heat from the outside of saidone set to the outside of the otherset.

10. A condenser having at least two tubes at an angle to the horizontal,mean-s enclosing the. upper ends of said tubes for communicatin theirupper ends with each other, said two tubes being serially connected withthe lower end of one of said tubes being in communication with a steaminlet whereby steam from said inlet passes upwardly through said onetube to heat the outside of the same, the resulting condensate in saidone tube gravitating back to said steam inlet in a counterflow directionwhere'by'said condensate may be heated by the steam entering the lowerend ofv said one tube, an air inlet, an air outlet,

said two tubes being inan air passagewaywhich extends from said airinlet to said air outlet with theoutside of said other tube being in anair stream which in passing from said air inlet to said air outlet flowsfrom the outside of said one tube to convey heat .from said outside ofsaid one tube to the outside of said other tube to prevent freezing ofcondensat in said other tube.

V ROBERT R. HULL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS [Date Number Name 1 1 838,427 Lark in's-en -Q Dec.11, 1906 1,55.8,0:09 Giesler Oct. 20,-19 25 1,639,745 Muir- Aug. 23,1927 2,229,032 Ashley. Jan. 21, 1941 2,449,11 Q I Eells Sept. 14, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS.

Number Country Date 404,517 Great'Britain s QJan.18, 1934 710,38'1France 'June 8,1931"- 778,155 France Dec. 15, 1934 805,234 1 France Aug.17; 1936

